New Study Challenges Dark Energy Theory, Suggests Universe Expansion Slowing

Imagine the universe is like a balloon that's been blown up.

Scientists thought it was getting bigger faster and faster, like someone blowing harder into the balloon.

This was because they looked at special exploding stars, called supernovae, and thought they were all the same brightness.

But this new study says maybe the early exploding stars weren't as bright as we thought.

If that's true, the balloon might not be getting bigger faster and faster.

Instead, it might be slowing down.

If it slows down enough, it could even stop growing and start shrinking, like a balloon deflating and then getting smaller.

This shrinking could be called a 'Big Crunch'.

The scientists also think the force making the balloon get bigger, called dark energy, might be getting weaker.